Nizami Street (Torgovaya) in Baku: What to See and Do

Ask a Baku resident where the best place for a walk is, and many will name Nizami Street. Locals still call it Torgovaya. It is the main street for a relaxed stroll through central Baku, where 19th- to 21st-century architecture, shops, cafés and theatres sit side by side.

In this guide: where the street is, the origin of its name, what to see along the way, where to shop and eat, and which sights are nearby.

Where Nizami Street Is

Nizami Street crosses central Baku from west to east, from Abdulla Shaig Street to Sabit Orujov Street. It is about 3.5 km long.

Its best-known part is the pedestrian one. It runs from Fountains Square to Rashid Behbudov Street, and this stretch is what people call Torgovaya. It is closed to traffic, paved with wavy cobblestones and lined with benches and outdoor cafés. The rest of the street is open to cars.

Why “Torgovaya”

The name comes from the street’s trading role. It dates back to Baku’s 1864 city plan and grew up around caravanserais. In 1879 it was renamed Gubernskaya, but residents kept calling it Torgovaya. From 1925 to 1962 it was Fuzuli Street, and since 1962 it has been named after the poet Nizami Ganjavi.

During the oil boom in the second half of the 19th century, mansions and commercial buildings appeared along it. Many were funded by oil magnates such as Musa Naghiyev, Shamsi Asadullayev and Murtuza Mukhtarov.

Architecture: 19th Century to Today

The street shows several eras: pre-revolutionary mansions, Soviet-era buildings and modern constructions. Many older buildings are faced with “aglay” limestone, which gives the street a unified light look. Notable buildings include:

• No. 20 — the Caspian–Black Sea Oil and Trade Society building (1898–1899).
• Nos. 48 and 93 — Musa Naghiyev’s houses (1911).
• No. 64 — the house where Nobel laureate physicist Lev Landau was born (1911).
• No. 74 — the National Library of Azerbaijan (opened 1923).
• Nos. 87–89 — the State Bank complex (1932–1934).

Shops and Cafés

You can combine a walk with shopping. The street has international brand stores, and its main landmark is TSUM (the Central Department Store). Chain cafés and restaurants include Starbucks, McDonald’s and KFC, alongside places serving traditional, Asian and European food. Start the day with coffee and finish with dinner on an open terrace.

Theatres and Cinema

Nizami Street is part of Baku’s cultural life:

• Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre (No. 95, 1911).
• State Theatre of Young Spectators (No. 72).
• Rashid Behbudov State Theatre of Song (No. 76, a former synagogue from 1910).
• Vatan Cinema (ground floor of Haji Rajabli’s house, Nos. 75–77).

Torgovaya in the Evening

In the evening the street fills with people meeting friends, strolling and taking photos. It is decorated for holidays, and Fountains Square hosts Christmas and Novruz markets in winter and spring.

What to See Nearby

• Icherisheher (Old City) — a historic district with city walls and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
• Seaside Boulevard — a waterfront promenade with views of the Caspian.

Allow 1–2 hours for the walk, or half a day if you want to shop and have dinner.

Why Visit

• The main pedestrian route in central Baku.
• 19th- to 21st-century architecture in one place.
• Shops, cafés and restaurants for every taste.
• Theatres and cultural venues nearby.
• The everyday evening rhythm of Baku, live.

Nizami Street is more than a shopping street. It is one of Baku’s calling cards. Walk Torgovaya from Fountains Square, step into the Old City, and end the evening on Seaside Boulevard.